The position of John Preston, Doctor in Divinity ... concerning the irresistibleness of converting…The position of John Preston, Doctor in Divinity ... concerning the irresistiblenesse of converting…

The fourth reason is taken from hence, That the Decree of Election (by which God determined with himself to save some persons selected from the common Mass) is absolute, and therefore doth necessarily and in•••libly attain its effect, That the Decree of Election is absolute, so that the Lord looked upon nothing foreseen in the persons chosen, but absolutely decreed to work in them all conditions required to salvation, is so clearly manifest from many places of Scripture, that it scarce ⟨p. 17⟩needs any proof; for if we choose not God, but he us, Joh. 15. if we are chosen that we might be holy, not holy that we might be chosen: If he chose Jacob rather than Esau, when both were of like and equal condition. Rom. 9. If effectual vocation and justifying faith are the fruits and effects of predestination, not the foregoing conditions. Rom. 8. Lastly, If Gods mere good pleasure be the only reason of the Decree [He hath mercy on whom he will, and hardeneth whom he will.] It necessarily follows, that God hath absolutely decreed to save some: and to that purpose to bestow upon them Grace, Faith, and Holiness. Granting these things, it appears, that God converts all the Elect after a manner, by them irresistible on this manner, Because if they could resist that Grace, which is fit to convert them, being also given to this end, that they might be converted; then this absolute and peremptory Decree of God might be disappointed by the creature, which must not be imagined: Neither is there ground that they should now object, that by the same reason those whom God hath rejected, do sin irresistibly. For we deny that there is the same reason of both: for although Faith be the effect of predestination, yet infidelity is not the proper effect of Reprobation. Whereas Faith requires a cause of it self efficient, which hath a true and proper influence into its effect. But there is no efficient cause required to unbelief: but deficient (because it follows upon the mere defect and absence of that cause by which Faith should be wrought.) As to the illumination of the air; there is required the Sun or some other efficient cause, having influence into that effect; but the absence of the Sun is enough to cause darkness. In like manner, although the sins of Reprobates do infallibly follow from the determinate counsel of God, who hath decreed their event;